


The mask you have to wear

by QuarterPast



Category: Tangled (2010)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-06 11:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13410000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuarterPast/pseuds/QuarterPast
Summary: By now we all know what happened when Rapunzel entered Eugene's life and changed everything for the previous thief. He kissed his alter ego goodbye and decided to turn it all around for her.What made him build his walls up so high in the first place? This is one of the questions this fanfic aims to answer.





	1. Preamble

Nimble fingers clawed at tea cup and it shook. It steamed in the cold air of the old ruin. With a few quick steps the icy draught was swiftly left behind and a heavy wooden door closed behind the cloaked figure. The convent was barely furnished. Both nuns and monks learned to live with the bare necessities. A candle on a low table dimly illuminated the few things the resident possessed. A small, but comfortable bed, a chair and a study desk. Books would usually frame the edges of the heavy table, but they all stood organized in the library now. The lady’s eyesight had long become too bad to read the historic texts of their ancestors.

“Show your face.” The shadowy figure was suddenly wrenched from their thoughts and spilled a bit of the hot tea. “Ow!” He whined and quickly approached the elder woman resting on the sheets. She calmly watched him set down the cup, then held out her hand. “Here, let me see.”

Hesitantly, he showed her his burned thumb and she touched the batch of reddened skin carefully. “It will heal fast. You’ve learned how to treat these injuries.” The cloaked figure lowered his head and shook a little and found himself unable to respond. “What is it?” She gently pressed on. “There is no need to cry. You knew that it would be my time to pass on someday.”

“Reverend mother.” He uttered and shook his head. “You can’t. This place needs you and your guidance.” The matron chuckled softly and stroked his hand, then another coughing fit shook her. “This is not within my power to decide, young one. Only the lord gives and the lord takes.”

With a deep, calm breath she brushed the boy’s hood back and stroked through a thick mane of layered brown hair. It revealed the face of a barely sixteen years old. “I heard about you and your adventures. You have made a name for yourself in this world.” She ruffled his hair a little before her hand weakly dropped back onto the mattress. “You’ve grown up so fast since we found you at our doorstep. How old.. are you now?”

“I am-” Before Eugene could answer he was interupted by another sudden coughing fit of the nun. He helplessly patted her back. It was time. He knew that, but he wasn’t ready to just accept it.

Her breathing turned flat and he clenched her hand. “You must live, Eugene. For yourself and for those around you.”

“Yes, yes I will.” He pleaded. “Don’t leave me. Not you too.”

It didn’t work. Nobody heard him whine or beg while her life slowly seeped out of his hands. He sobbed quietly against her knuckles as they grew cold against his own heated cheeks. “Why.. what did I ever do...”

“You mean, besides plundering and stealing?” Someone inquired from inside the door frame. The cold wind hit him and he quickly pulled the hood back over his head.

“This girl is probably dead too, so what?” Another someone offered and he could almost hear the shrug in his voice. “You were taking a while, so we thought we’d come in check on you.” There was no malice between them and yet he didn’t want them to be around him right now. Heavy foot steps approached him and two tall figures came to stand at either side of him.

“Who was she?” Eugene pulled the hood a little more tightly.

“Nobody.” He responded soundlessly. “Just an elder that I used to know.”

All that followed was silence. The two Stabbingtons didn’t speak as they laid their eyes upon the cooling body of the old nun. Life had taught them better than to ask a lot of questions. The quieter one stepped forward to pull the blanket up and over her face.

“What are you doing?” His brother hissed, to which he retorted. "Show some respect to the dead.” He shook his head. The two brothers felt out of a place. A feeling they had grown used to over the years of being handed around like that rotten bunch nobody wanted to take care of.

Eugene raised to his feet between them and soundly cleared his throat. “Let’s go. It’s starting to smell in here.”

All of his path was pflastered with last straws. He refused to give up hope or back down if he saw a chance to break out of this cycle of hatred and reject. Each time he reached out for another chance it was taken away from him and each time it broke his spirit a little more.

As much as he hated every single time this happened, he wished he could go back in time and do it better. Try harder. Do the things he didn’t dare to do at the right time instead of waiting until it was too late. He knew it was cowardly and yet he was running away again. The last straw of his past was gone. There was no reason to stick around his own personal gallery of failures.

“So... what do you say we get us some breakfast after this shocker? Brother? Flynn?”

The name had a nice ring to it. No strings attached. No past and no future. He would forge his own destiny and he would no longer let anyone hurt or leave him. Not anymore.


	2. Ideal World

It was spring and the world wa sslowly waking up from it’s winter slumber. Flowers bloomed, birds chirped and squirrels hopped back and forth between the tree crowns.

“Eugene! There you are.” The boy lifted his head from where he sat in the grass of the churche’s backyard. “What did you do this time?”

Eugene smiled and pointed at a bird’s nest. Confused, but also a little curious the nun Fira came forth and stood besides Eugene to take a look at it. “Look at the mama bird feed its nestlings.” She cooed and gently patted his head. “Soon they will be big and strong and fly away to build their own nests somewhere in our gardens and acres.”

“Mama.” He repeated and looked up at her. “Where is my mother?”

“Sweetie…” A deep sigh left her. She reached down to wrap her arms around him and pick him up. “We are all children of god. He cares for everyone and nourishes us. I’m sure you will find a loving home very soon, because…” She ruffled his hair and earned a giggle from him. “Who could resist a boy as cute as you? Now we really have to go or you’re going to miss lunch!”

Eugene liked it when he didn’t have to walk back to the orphanage by himself. The nuns weren’t responsible for him, but every time he came by unannounced they were delighted to look after him so he ‘didn’t hurt himself’. He liked the church better than the orphanage. There was always warm music and light and happy people. They would sing and hold hands and tell stories of family and love.

Suddenly his feet touched the ground and he unsurely looked back up at Fira. “Go on inside.” She tried to encourage him. Eugene refused and hugged her leg instead. “It’s cold.” He whined. “I don’t wanna. It’s cold.” She ruffled his hair a little. “Okay, okay. What do you say if I go inside with you?”

No response.

“You can visit us again tomorrow and I’ll save some chicken fricassee for you~” She hummed and smiled as that got her the boy’s undivided attention. Food was an absolute deal braker for the mildly malnourished orphan. Albeit Fira knew that she didn’t have to put any bait in their doorway to be sure of Eugene’s return.

“Oh, oh! Easy there.” Fira had taken Eugene by his hands and led him inside while he accidentally kept stepping on her slippers, because he couldn’t keep up with her. It made him laugh, which almost let her forget the pain in her toes. “We’re aalmost there.” She bit her lip. “Ready? 3.. 2..” Eugene squealed when she lifted him up and with a soft thud dropped him in his seat. “We are a great team!” She declared and held her hand out for a high five.

“You’re late.” A deeper, far less happy voice informed them. The caretaker and owner of the orphanage was already there, looming over both of them. Fira shrunk a little under her firm glare. “We came as fast as we could!” She assured her. “You know how it is with children, don’t you? After all you look after them all day!”

“Yes, I do.” Came her soundless response. “Now leave.” Fira frowned. “Just give me one moment to say goodbye.”

“Fine, but don’t hang around for too long or he’ll get attached to you. You are not his mother after all.” Like a sinister shadow the elder lady disappeared to grant them a moment that they did not deserve.

Eugene sat there with his shoulders slumped. He didn’t understand why she always shooed everyone away who was nice to him. Why he always had to return to the orphanage. Why he couldn’t spend the night in a nicer place where he didn’t have to beg for warmth.

Fira felt both heartbroken and angry by the sight of him. None of this was fair. She leaned down and hugged him tightly. “We’ll meet again tomorrow. You know where you can find me any time you need me, for any reason. Okay?” She pouted a little at him until he smiled weakly.

“Okay.” He responded and pulled up his shoulders.

Uncertainity flooded her and she started nibbling on her nail. She couldn’t just leave Eugene behind. Not like this. Then, her face lit up.

“Here, I have a gift for you.” She reached behind her back and lowered back down to give her necklace to him. It was a small, silver cross pendant. “This way you will always know that god is watching over you and protecting you.” She proudly straightened up. “Until I am here to protect you, of course.”

Eugene touched the gift and felt along the smooth material, then he smiled up at her.

“Now, that’s the kind of reaction I was hoping for!”

Once she was gone he uncertainly eyed the other children sitting at the long table. Some were smiling, some were frowning and again some others were giggling with each other about jokes only they knew. He lowered his gaze again and wanted very much to just continue ignoring them. 

For the duration of their meal he remained silent. He ate up his mashed potatoes and vegetables until there wasn't a single crumb left on his plate. Food was easy to be grateful for. It didn't judge him or give him weird looks if he talked about his favourite picture book. They had colorful ones in the monastery's library, but the older children were more interested in hunting squirrels across the plaza.

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here!" A bright noise announced itself before Eugene almost lost his balance. A blonde girl hugged his shoulders from behind, then mustered him. "I don't recall seeing you here before, just how long was I gone?" She wondered and giggled. A few other children were following after the teenager and curiously craned their necks. He didn't understand what the fuss was about and tried to duck away.

To no avail. Leonie was faster, stronger and taller than him. "I can't let you go before we've properly welcomed you, stranger." She declared with a soft smile. "You are going to spend the happiest and most important time of your life here. Sure... we all know why you are here, but have no reason not to be optimistic."

For the second time today someone lifted him up effortlessly. Leonie put him onto her shoulders. From his new spot he could see all the others surrounding her, like she was the only light in the room. "We are all the same here." She explained as they left the dining room. "You are like me and I am like you. We are all alone in this world, but because we have each other we will never be alone. Get it?"

Eugene swayed a little, but nodded reluctantly. "You are also..." - "An orphan, yes." She finished for him and winked. "Hasn't kept me from smiling yet. Come on, smile for me." He grimaced.

Leonie went on about how she had only been gone for a few days and already missed out on Eugene's arrival. She wanted to know his name and he told her. Then she adviced everyone else to go ahead and introduce themselves as they sat down outside.

There was a boy named George who was really good with juggling. He wanted to join the next circus that would come to town. Nina liked stitching and showed everyone her hands full of pflasters. Logan liked fencing with a stick. Olivia loved to read. Eugene's eyes widened with interest.

"What about your mother and fathers? Have you never..." Leonie hushed Eugene before he could go on and shook her head. She took him aside and waved at the others so they could return to play.

"We don't talk about our parents here, Eugene. They are gone and they are not going to return." She gently ruffled his hair. "Everything is going to be alright from now on. Don't worry."


End file.
